Marianne Simson

Marianne Simson began her career as a ballerina in Berlin Opera ballet. Her film career took off during the WW II. She was a sporty, beautiful blonde who was cast in both musicals, historical adventures and dramas. By that time she was rumored to be Dr Joseph Goebbel's lover. At the end of the war, she was arrested by the Russians, convicted and sent to a prison camp, where she nevertheless was active in organizing performances and giving song recitals. After the war she was seen on the screen in a film called Eine Alltägliche Geschichte (An Everyday Story), which was shot during the war, but was in musical synchronization when the war ended. She was released from the prison camp only in 1952, and never resumed her acting career, instead becoming a choreographer.

Following the defeat of Germany, Simson was arrested by the Soviet NKVD and placed in a series of detention camps. In 1950 she was sentenced to eight years in prison, but was given an early release in 1952 and moved to West Germany.

In 1944 she informed on a Germany army major to the Gestapo for allegedly making comments supportive of the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

She was obviously quite renowned also as a ballerina, since in 1941 a porcelain figurine was produced, depicting her on her toes.

The actress Marianne Simson began her career in 1935 as a dancer at the theater at the Nollendorfplatz and at the city opera Berlin, in the same year she made her film debut with "Friesennot" (1935).